A portion of Highway 1 collapsed in Big Sur. Photo: Caltrans District 5 // Twitter
A part of California’s Highway 1 has collapsed near Big Sur. The collapse occurred around 4:00 P.M. Sunday, due to stormy weather, leaving a massive hole in the roadway that led to closures and stranded Easter weekend motorists.
The collapse, called a “slip out” by officials, occurred on the road just south of the Rocky Creek Bridge, 17 miles south of Monterey. On an alert posted yesterday, the California Department of Parks and Recreation elaborated that this resulted in a total loss of the southbound lanes as well as part of the northbound lanes. The highway closure extends from the north at Palo Colorado to just south of Limekiln State Park. In addition, all Big Sur State Parks within the closure area will be closed to day use and camping until further notice.
Another angle of the Highway 1 collapse. Photo: Caltrans District 5 // Twitter
As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the slide did not continue to erode after the initial slip-out, according to Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski. As a result, the northbound lane is still mostly unobstructed, allowing stranded motorists to move through the area via convoys that have been operating twice daily since Sunday. The Chronicle estimated that about 1,600 people were affected by the collapse.
It is unclear how long repairs to the roadway will take. Engineers and road crews are currently onsite, working to temporarily stabilize the edge of the roadway as they devise a more permanent solution.
The portion of highway along the sheer cliffs along the Big Sur coast has been known to be structurally precarious, particularly in heavy winter rains. The last time a portion of the highway collapsed was in 2021, leading to a year-long closure that cost half a billion dollars, according to the Chronicle.
